English and Irish Derby winner Australia retired to stud

Coolmore Stud announced Saturday that this year’s English and Irish Derby winner Australia has been retired due to injury and will commence his stud career in 2015 alongside his sire Galileo at Coolmore’s farm in Co. Tipperary, Ireland.

Coolmore representative Kevin Buckley said on a British radio program that the 3-year-old colt developed an infection in his right-hind hoof this week while preparing for next weekend’s Qipco British Champion Day races at Ascot and that his training was suspended.

Australia was bred in England by Stanley Estate and Stud Co. and was purchased by Coolmore agent Demi O’Byrne for about $840,000 as a Tattersalls October yearling in 2012. Racing for Coolmore and trainer Aidan O’Brien, Australia won 2 of 3 starts as a juvenile, including a Group 3 stakes in Ireland, before winning 3 of 5 starts at 3, highlighted by wins in the Group 1 English Derby, Irish Derby, and Juddmonte International Stakes, the last against older horses.

Australia also finished third in the English 2000 Guineas, and second to The Grey Gatsby by a neck in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes on Sept. 13, his final start. Overall, he won 5 of 8 starts and $3,456,504.

A stud fee for Australia will be announced later. The colt will be a highly attractive stallion prospect as a son of leading international sire Galileo and out of the multiple European and U.S. champion Ouija Board, who earned over $6 million in her racing career. Ouija Board has produced three other winners in addition to Australia, including Australian Group 3 winner Voodoo Prince, by Kingmambo.